Internal-combustion engine.



H. WHIDBOURNE 6: J. J. LISHMAN. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1911;

1 025 439 PatentedMay-Z 1.912.

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HARRY WHIDBOURNE, OF PLYMOUTH, AND JOHN JAMES'LISHMAN, OF SALCOMBE,

ENGLAND.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed August 24, 1911. Serial No. 645,819.

Park, Plymouth, in the county of Devon,

/ England, and JOHN J AMES LIsHMAN, a sub ject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residingat Moult Tors, Salcombe, in the county of Devon, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines of the type or class in which one impulse is given tothe crank shaft for each reciprocation of the piston, and has for object an engine having one or more pairs of units of cross-connected cylinders, the functions of each unit being so arranged that a practically constant turning efiort'is given to the crank shaft.

In carrying this our invention into effect, We employ,.for instance, a pair of cylinders of a known design in which the piston is stepped and works within a cylinder of two diameters, the larger end of the piston sliding over a fixed sleeve, thereby forming three distinct chambers. To arrange that one of the chambers (preferably that of the smaller endvof the piston) acts as a working cylinder, while the other two chambers act as air and gas pumps. We cross-connect the two cylinders in a manner which We will hereinafter describe with reference to the annexed drawings.

The illustration shows cordance with this our inventionfin section, A and B showing the two cylinders,-

E and F the two stepped pistons, E and F} the connectin rods, H and H J the crank slaft, K the crank case and L the flywheel. A? and B show the two working chambers, A and B the air chambers or pumps and A and B the gas chambers or pure s. M and M show the gas inlets, M and id valves and G 'andjG the exhaust ports.

The-two cylinders are cross-connected in the following manner :-The upper, annular chamber A of the cylinder Av isconnected with the lower annular chamber B of the cylinder B byaneans of the conduit. C, a feature of the arrangement being that this conduit, on passing "to the lower annular Specification of Letters Patent.

Melville, Compton the engine in ac 1 the cranks.

'Awith the result that on the gas parts, C and D the air inlet Patented May '7, 1912.

of the working ing cylinder A being incommunication with both the lower annular chamber A? and the upper annular chamber B The operation and function of this our improved engine are as follows: During the inward stroke of the piston E of the cylinder A and the outward stroke of the piston F of the cylinder viously induced and trapped-in the upper annular chamber A of the cylinder A is compressed withinthe and simultaneously a charge of gas (explosive mixture) previously induced asd trapped in the lower annular chamber B of the cylinder B, is compressed within the conduit, mainly at the other end. The capacity of the conduit is gasand the major portion of the air are lodged within that portion of the conduit between the supply valve C and the lower annular chamber B of the cylinder B; On the pressure within the working cylinder B falling sufiiciently, (after a previous working stroke) the compressed and independent charges of air and gas in the conduit 0 enter the cylinder the air preceding to effect a scavenge while the exhaust port G is open-and the gas to constitute the working charge. On the return stroke of the piston F of the cylinder B, the charge is compressed and afterward ignited inany wellknown manner. While these functions have been taking tions has been occurring within the cylinder piston F of the cylinder B reaching the end of the working stroke, the piston E of the cylinder A has arrived at the end of its compression stroke and the charge is fired, with the desirable result that the crank shaft receives two impulses for each revolution. I

The fact that the charge of air precedes the gas in' order to scavenge may be explained as follows: Upon the down stroke of the piston E and the -upstroke'of the piston F thev gas and air in the conduit into communication with both occupymg a posit on approXr.

B a charge of air pre-' conduit 0 at one end so arranged that all the' place a similar cycle of funcputs the snplower annular chamber A? of the 7 cylinder A, the supply valve D of the work- I C will be rarefied and at the ends of the strokes more gas and air will be drawn in,.the load on the valves C and D being so adjusted that these valves open at the same or approximately the same moment as the gas inlets so that air and gas enter at approximately the same time at opposite ends of the conduit. Upon the return strokes air in chamberA will be forced into the part of the conduit between the valve C and chamber B above the gas therein, due to the enlargement of that part of the conduit, and upon the opening of the valve C the air above the gas will first flow into the cylinder.

It is also obvious that while retaining the functions herein described we may vary the construction and arrangement of the pistons, chambers and ducts and other parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

An advantage inherent with the construction of the engine is that the crank shaft can be arranged to rotate in either direction depending onwhich direction it is started.

Having now described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An internal combustion engine comprising cylinders arranged in pairs each of wh1ch has a CYlllldllCilhWOl'lUllg chamber, a

fixed sleeve forming with the walls of the cylinder, an annular chamber, a working piston having an enlarged portion dividing this annular chamber into two compartments and ,sliding over said fixed sleeve, means for supplying air to one of the compartments of the annular chamber ineach cylinder, means for supplying gas to the other compartment of the annular chamber, conduits cross-connecting the air compartment in the annular chamber of one cylinder and the gas compartment in the annular chamber of the other cylinder and connections between said cross-connecting conduits and the cylindrical working chambers eachcross-connecting conduit being so positioned and constructed that a charge ofgas is drawn'in at one endand a charge of air at the other end simultaneously during one stroke of the engine while these independent charges of an and gas are simultaneously cylinder, an annular chamber, a working piston having an enlarged portion dividing this annular chamber into two compartments and sliding over said fixed sleeve, means for supplying air to one of the compartments of the annular chamber in each cylinder, means for supplying gas to the other compartment of the annular chamber, conduits cross-connecting the air compartment in the annular chamber of onecylinder and the gas compartment in the annular chamber of the other cylinder, each crossconnecting conduit having an enlargement at the gas inlet end so that a charge of gas is drawn in at one end and a charge of air at the other end simultaneously during one stroke of the engine while these-independent charges of air and gas are simultaneous] compressed from each end of the conduit during the next stroke, and a connection between each cylindrical working chamber and that one ofithe cross-connecting con-l duits which connects the gas receiving compartment in the annular chamber of the same cylinder with the air receiving compartment in the annular chamber of the fellow cylinder whereby one compartment of the annular chambers is utilized for supplying a scavenging charge for the cylindrical. working chamber of the fellow cylinder and the opposite compartment of the other annular chamber is uti lized for supplying a working charge of gas for the same cylinder.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' HARRY VVI'lIDBOlITRNE.

JOHN J AMES L11 rIMAN.

Witnesses ARTHUR JosnrH Fonsrmw, Anorrmann HARDING. 

